Wynne Evans, the Welsh opera singer and former face of Go.Compare advertisements, has announced his engagement to partner Liz Brookes following a romantic proposal during their holiday in Morocco over the weekend of June 8-9, 2025. The 53-year-old took to Instagram to share the joyous news, posting photographs of himself on one knee, alongside snaps of Brookes' dazzling engagement ring, and celebrating with champagne amid the bustling souks and camels of Morocco.
Evans, known for his warm humour, captioned the post: "Big news… I got engaged! This weekend in Morocco, somewhere between the couscous, the camels, and me limping around the souks like a man with no spatial awareness, I proposed to Liz — and she said yes! (No take-backs, I've checked.) She's clever, she's kind, she's got excellent taste in men. Absolutely no idea how I pulled that off, but here we are! Feeling very lucky, very happy, and just a tiny bit smug." The announcement was met with an outpouring of congratulations from fans and fellow celebrities alike, including Strictly pro Nancy Xu and BBC DJ Zoe Ball, who shared celebratory messages and emojis.
Liz Brookes, 50, who owns a successful events company in Cardiff, met Evans around 18 months ago at one of her business's parties in Wales. According to sources, Evans asked her for coffee the following day, sparking a relationship that has grown steadily since early 2024. A close source told The Sun that Evans had secretly purchased the engagement ring prior to their trip and popped the question over champagne. The same source described the past six months as "tumultuous" but praised Liz for being "his absolute rock throughout," providing steadfast support amid professional and personal challenges.
This milestone comes after a difficult period in Evans's career. In January 2025, during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing live tour at Birmingham Arena, Evans was filmed making a controversial remark that was widely perceived as a sexualised comment directed at presenter Janette Manrara. The comment, involving the phrase "spit roast," sparked immediate backlash. Evans denied any sexual intent, explaining to The Sun that "Spit-roast boy" was a nickname given to fellow contestant Jamie Borthwick, referencing his flexibility. "I would be the first to apologise if I had used it in the double meaning of that word," Evans said, "But it absolutely wasn't meant sexually — and the fact I used 'boy', all right it's nuanced, but it shows I was talking to Jamie, NOT Janette." Despite this, the BBC issued a formal rebuke and suspended Evans from the Strictly live tour.
Following the incident, an apology was released on Evans's behalf, though he later stated he had not seen the statement prior to its publication and felt it "validated the story" in a way that made matters worse. The controversy deeply affected Evans, who revealed he was placed on 24/7 suicide watch by a crisis team due to his clinical depression. He described the months that followed as "truly awful" and emphasized that his actions were meant as pranks that unfortunately backfired.
Additional moments during the 2024 Strictly series added to the scrutiny. During a live show in October, Evans was accused of "groping" his professional dance partner Katya Jones by placing his hand over her waist. Both later clarified it was "just messing around" and a "very silly inside joke." However, two weeks later, Evans reportedly made a self-deprecating joke to a make-up artist about his double chin resembling a vagina, though it remains unclear if this was officially investigated.
In May 2025, the BBC confirmed it would not be renewing Evans's one-year rolling contract for his mid-morning show on BBC Radio Wales following a four-month investigation into the "spit roast" comment and related controversies. Evans announced the news emotionally on Instagram, thanking his fans for their unwavering support: "These past few months, your love has been the light in my darkest days. Every message, every word of encouragement, every moment you stood by me has carried me through more than you could ever know. It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract so I won't be returning to my radio show. I'm gutted. That show wasn't just work — it was home. It was us. We laughed, we cried, we sang like nobody was listening. And somehow, through the airwaves, we became a family." A BBC spokesperson confirmed, "Wynne Evans is not under contract with the BBC. He is not returning to the mid-morning show on BBC Radio Wales and there are currently no plans to work with him."
Undeterred, Evans has moved forward with plans to relaunch his radio presence independently. He is set to debut "The Wynne Evans Show," a breakfast programme airing live every day from 9am to 12pm on a new app, as well as on Alexa, Google devices, and at www.wynneevansshow.co.uk. Reports suggest he has secretly patented the name of his Wales radio programme, signaling a determined effort to reclaim his career outside the BBC.
Evans's personal life has also seen significant changes in recent years. He divorced Welsh violinist Tanwen Evans in 2016 after 17 years of marriage, with whom he shares two children, daughter Ismay and son Taliesin. He has spoken openly about the emotional toll of the divorce, describing it as akin to grief that profoundly affected his mental health, confidence, and ego. The engagement to Liz Brookes, therefore, represents a hopeful new chapter.
Throughout the turbulence, Brookes has remained a steadfast partner, publicly supporting Evans despite earlier reports suggesting a split. Their bond appears stronger than ever, providing a foundation of stability amid the challenges Evans has faced both professionally and personally, including grieving the loss of his brother Huw during this difficult period.
Wynne Evans’s story is one of resilience and renewal—a man who has weathered public controversy and personal hardship but now looks forward to a new beginning with his fiancée Liz Brookes and a fresh start in his broadcasting career. As he himself put it with a touch of his signature wit, "Absolutely no idea how I pulled that off, but here we are! Feeling very lucky, very happy, and just a tiny bit smug."
